The subject disclosure relates to innovative systems and methods of dispensing servings, individual and/or multiple, of flavored and enhanced water, more particularly to media(s) capable of introducing nutrients/flavors in single servings (4-12 oz) or multiple servings, such as, for example, a pitcher (up to 64+ oz), or a gallon or half gallon and/or pharmaceuticals in a single serving (1-2 oz) dose packet, the media(s) being operatively contained in appropriate means or structure such as, for example, packets/cards or similar devices/structures as may be found to accomplish the desired function, operable with the dispensing systems and methods and most particularly to complimentary dispensing systems and methods operatively associated with or without a water filtration device for dispensing the individual servings (4-12 oz) or multiple servings, such as, for example, a pitcher (up to 64+ oz) or a gallon or half gallon or more of flavored and enhanced water and/or pharmaceuticals individual serving (1-2 oz) to consumers.
Noncarbonated water based beverage consumption is on the rise. The fastest growing segment is the enhanced water group, which ranges from vitamins to nutraceuticals to just flavor additives. This segment has grown from about US$ 41.5 million in sales for 1997 to about US$ 985.3 million in sales for 2002 with 2004 projections being about US$ 1.8 billion. Drinking water filter systems have been sold for over 30 years and have enjoyed a steady increase in popularity following the growth of bottled water consumption. Worldwide, bottled water consumption is growing at an annual rate of about 12 percent.
Enhanced waters, a subset of the single-serve water segment, reported the greatest growth figures—albeit off a small base of about US$ 80 million for 2001—with about a 205.8 percent growth to reach about US$ 244.6 million in sales for 2002. (Source: Beverage Marketing Corporation)
Individual serving size and personnel vending are becoming very popular in the US, whereas in Europe and Asia they have been very popular for many years. Most recently, the single cup (bean to cup) coffee makers produced by the entire major US and European brands (Milita, Bunn, Krupp, P&G, etc.) have become popular. Individual pods of fresh ground coffee are used costing the customer about 10 to about 15 times more for a cup of coffee than from an auto drip coffee maker. The above was calculated based on the following: a 39 oz can of ground coffee at a price of about $5.85 yields about 175 cups of coffee or about $0.033 to about $0.045 per 6 oz cup, depending on how much coffee one puts into the machine. The pods retail for about $0.50 per cup.
It is believed that the consumer acceptance of this tremendous increase in cost is driven by a desire for convenience, flavor and versatility, and the notion that one is saving money over the high cost of specialty coffee-shop coffee. This approach appears to be great for the millions of consumers that only drink one or two cups of coffee a day.
Concerning bottled water, Coca-Cola's Dasani is a mineral enhanced bottled water, which has a slightly grainy appearance, actually has a somewhat pleasant taste, unlike many other bottled waters which taste like plastic. Additionally, Canadian O+2 Berry Citrus flavor bottled water is clearly a very refreshing flavored water. Canadian O+2 Berry Citrus flavor bottled water has about 5 times the normal concentration of oxygen, a refreshing citrus/berry flavor and a very subtle, but sweet, flavor. The splash of natural fruit flavoring is just the thing—not too much, not too little. Overall, a very refreshing beverage that offers the benefit of added oxygen.
Rescue Vitamin Water is truly the gem of this variety. Flavored with green tea, this beverage has a potent tea flavor that will quickly quench any thirst. Further, it is fortified with several vitamins and herbs (from the tea) that will put you in a calm and pleasant state within the first few sips.
Red Bull is a utility drink to be consumed when faced with mental or physical weariness or exhaustion. Red Bull combines two natural substances and important metabolic transmitters, the amino acid taurin and glucuronolacton, with stimulating caffeine, vitamins and the energy provided by carbohydrates. The two most popular brands of sport drinks with metabolic transmitters are Gatorade and PowerAde.
The sale of drinking water systems is believed to be mainly based on fear, doubt and uncertainty. Most sales personnel however, would not admit that they use those tactics. For filtered water to gain the popularity that most knowledgeable professions believe is possible, water filtration systems have to be transformed from systems that just remove unwanted or unnecessary elements and compounds from water, to systems that enhance health, wellness, well being and life style, as well as offering convenience and cost savings over the available alternatives. Adding additional performance enhancement claims to an existing water filter system has driven the sellers need for differentiation, but consumers do not recognize or understand the enhancement/performance claims. Simple filters with simple performance claims that consumers recognize are the reduction of chlorine, taste & odor, sediment. In addition, to a lesser extent, claims such as cyst and lead reduction are less consumer recognizable. Now performance enhancing claims include chemicals like Carbofuran, 2,4-D, chlorobenzene and tetrachloroethalene, which unless you are a chemist working in consumer products, you would not know or recognize any of these chemicals. However, all are chemicals listed on the EPA's primary list of hazardous materials. Filter manufacturers select from the EPA's list those chemicals most easily removed with the media they use to manufacture their particular products, while sellers want to be able to say that their particular filtration system provides additional chemical removal or provides something different to enhance the product for the system in order to reduce price competition.
Consumer filtration systems have been estimated to be about a $2+ billion dollar market. Drinking water filtration systems make up less than about 25% or about $450 million (Frost & Sullivan & Baytel) of the total estimated amount, while the refrigerator filter market has jumped from nothing in 1998 to an estimated $300+ million in retail dollars in 2004; 30 years of selling fear, doubt and uncertainty versus 5 years of selling convenience. Filtration has been successfully added to high-end coffee machines offering enhanced flavor.
It is estimated that, by 2006, every major refrigerator manufacturer will likely have incorporated a water filter system into those refrigerator models that dispense water and/or ice. It is also estimated that about 50% of the total 30 million unit yearly global refrigerator output could have a built-in water filter system, with the US market fast approaching the 50% mark in mid 2004. The average life of a refrigerator is about 10-12 years. Less than 15% of the US and European refrigerator markets are for new units with the balance being replacement market. Asia, mainly China and India, are less reliant on the refrigerator replacement market. With the US having between 107-116 million house holds and a production rate of 9 million refrigerators a year (with imports making up only a 2% share), the US refrigerator market will most likely be saturated by 2012, with a market potential (at today's retail price) of about $3 billion, or about $600 million manufacturing dollars.
Of the 59 million French, the issue of obesity is becoming increasingly important. In France, it is estimated that about 5.4 million French are now considered obese, an increase of 1.1 million within only three years. Of the about 300 million Americans, about 23% are now considered obese by body mass. With this in mind, it would appear that bottled waters and low calorie flavored waters are facing much better times ahead than sugary soft drink products.
The cost of bottled water has, until recently, not been a major consumer issue. However, 40,000 16 oz bottles of water can be transported by truck at a cost of about $20/cwt interstate and about $60/cwt intrastate, which adds about $0.20 to about $0.60 per bottle cost. Storage, transportation and retail shelf space are all increasing further affecting the selling price and profit of bottled waters.
The systems and methods of the present disclosure including the devices/appliances and supportive impregnated medias envisioned capitalizes on the fastest growing segments surrounding the filtration industry, that being filtration in appliances and enhanced non-carbonate waters. Both segments are growing at a rate of about 400.0% to about 50.0% per year while drinking water stand-alone systems only manage 12% or less.
When compared to the competitive product, bottled water, the systems and methods of the present disclosure including the device/appliance and supportive impregnated medias envisioned, require no lugging or storing of cases of water, no wasted time or expense mixing up a half gallon to get one drink, although such could be accomplished utilizing the concepts and teachings of the present disclosure, is readily available when an individual wants it, is variable on demand and can be nutritional and beneficial to a healthy fast paced life style.
What is needed are innovative systems and methods for transferring ingredients in a solid/semi-solid state to a liquid such as; for example, water wherein the ingredients are sufficiently dissolved into the liquid/water. Such systems and methods may include a transfer device operative for transferring ingredients in a solid/semi-solid state to a liquid such as water wherein the ingredients are sufficiently dissolved into the liquid. Possible ingredient transfer devices include, but are not limited to, media(s) capable of being impregnated and/or permeated and/or infused with a nutrient/flavor and/or pharmaceutical, which when placed into a steam of liquid such as water can introduce the nutrients/flavors in a single serving (4-12 oz) dose or multiple servings, such as, for example, a pitcher (up to 64+ oz,) and/or the desired pharmaceuticals in a single serving (1-2+ oz) dose, the media(s) being operatively contained in appropriate means or structure such as, for example, packets/cards or similar devices/structures as may be found to accomplish the desired function. Further, a complimentary dispensing system and associated methods may be useful when operatively associated with a water filtration device, which may include, but is not limited to, stand alone dispensing systems, OEM version dispensing systems for inclusion into bottled water and bottle less water coolers, vending machines, faucets and refrigerator dispensing system and other similar systems as may become available in the future, the media(s) and dispensing systems should be manufactured at a reasonably low cost in order to be competitive in the market place.